Skyrise Runner is an endless runner, one that utilizes similar progression structures as Jetpack Joyride and Temple Run, with an environmental theme. Players control a purple-skinned individual named Ciellu who calls the Skylands home. However, burly bearded lumberjacks have taken to chopping down the forests of the Skylands. I may appreciate the burly bearded lumberjack style, but that’s not cool, man. So as the last Skyrunner, he runs through the forests to try and save as much as he can. He can double jump, and use a mystical shot attack to neutralize enemies. As well, there are feathers that when collected turn Ciellu into an eagle, flying through the sky to collect crystals while avoiding tree branches and hanging lumberjacks.

Crystals collected during runs can be spent on both upgrades and consumable items to make future runs easier. There are short boosts and extra lives available for consumables. The permanent upgrades include a long-range attack, a Robot Unicorn Attack-esque dash ability, and the ability to cause more invicibility powerups to appear.

The flying sections, while meant to be a well-intentioned bonus section, prove to be problematic. The player has to tap too rapidly on the screen to stay airborne. While there are the obvious hanging enemy hazards, there are also the far-less-obvious hazards like tree limbs that actually jut out toward the screen. The problem is that they blend in so well with the background that it’s difficult to tell what’s going to end the player’s flight and what isn’t. The enemies are so brightly-colored that they can be difficult to distinguish as well. Plus, more than once, the game has dropped me back on to the running section in a place that kills me instantly.

The running sections show a game that’s not the most polished, particularly with enemy placement that’s often awkward. It seems like the collision box for the lumberjacks is often a bit larger than the actual character is. As well, the dash attack can look like it’s flying through a lumberjack, but actually isn’t. Some more leniency would go a long way toward making this feel a lot more user-friendly.

Skyrise Runner is not going to light anyone’s world on fire, and it still needs some polishing. Still, it’s not a bad game, as it does look good and is entertaining enough for me to say that I didn’t feel like I wasted my time with the game. Plus, it’s only $0.99, and while it does have in-app purchases as well, the IAPs go a long way toward buying upgrades and items. Curious players should give it a run.